Pistil

Pistils are the cannabis plant's pollen-catching reproductive organs — the two white V-shaped hairs emerging from each calyx during the female plant's flowering stage. Botanically, the cannabis "pistil" is more accurately called the "stigma" (the receptive tip of the reproductive structure), but the cannabis cultivation industry has adopted "pistil" universally. Each pistil is approximately 5-15mm long, tubular, and coated with sticky mucilage that captures airborne pollen. When pollinated, pistils wilt within 24-48 hours and the calyx begins developing into a seed pod. When unpollinated (sinsemilla cultivation), pistils continue emerging throughout flowering, with new white pistils appearing at the bud surface even into late flower as new calyxes form. Pistil color change is the most visible harvest indicator: Week 1-4 of flower — pure bright white pistils, plant is in early flower, no harvest yet; Week 5-7 — most pistils still white, some at the oldest calyxes beginning to darken to off-white or yellow; Week 8-9 — 30-50% of pistils transitioning to orange, red, or brown; Week 9-10 — 70-90% pistils darkened, optimum harvest window for most strains; Week 10+ — 95%+ darkened pistils indicate over-ripeness and risk of CBN degradation. However, pistil color is a less precise harvest indicator than trichome inspection — strains vary in pistil darkening behavior, and stress events can prematurely darken pistils. The gold-standard harvest method combines trichome inspection (60-90% cloudy trichomes with 5-15% amber) with calyx swelling assessment for the most accurate timing. Pistil color also shifts based on environment: cool late-flower temperatures preserve white pistils longer; high humidity and warm temperatures accelerate browning.